MS-900 Describe cloud concepts Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A company migrates its database to Azure SQL Database (PaaS). According to the shared responsibility model, which of the following is the customer's responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Managing user access and authentication. In the shared responsibility model for Azure SQL Database (PaaS), the customer is responsible for managing user access and authentication because the customer controls who can connect to the database and what permissions they have. Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure, including the operating system, physical hardware, and virtualization layer, while the customer must secure data access through Microsoft Entra ID or SQL authentication, configure firewall rules, and manage logins and users.

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Patching the operating system of the database server

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Maintaining the physical infrastructure

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Managing the virtualization layer

Question 2

A cloud provider offers virtual machines, but customers must install, configure, and maintain the operating system and applications. Which cloud service model does this describe?

Accepted Answer

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). This scenario describes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), where the cloud provider supplies virtualized computing resources such as virtual machines, storage, and networking, but the customer retains full control over the operating system, middleware, and applications. In IaaS, the provider manages only the physical infrastructure (hypervisor, servers, storage, and network), while the customer is responsible for OS installation, configuration, patching, and application management. This aligns directly with the question's description of customer-managed OS and applications on provider-hosted VMs.

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PaaS (Platform as a Service)

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SaaS (Software as a Service)

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FaaS (Function as a Service)

Question 3

A company migrates its database to a cloud service where the provider manages the database engine, patching, backups, and replication. The customer only manages the data and schema. Which cloud service model is this?

Accepted Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS). Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a managed hosting environment where the cloud provider handles the underlying infrastructure, including the database engine, operating system, patching, backups, and replication. The customer is responsible only for managing the data and schema, which aligns directly with the scenario described.

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Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

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Software as a Service (SaaS)

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On-premises

Question 4

A company wants to run a workload that requires the highest level of physical security and control over hardware. They have the budget to purchase and maintain their own data center. Which cloud deployment model should they choose?

Accepted Answer

Private cloud. A private cloud deployment model is correct because it provides dedicated infrastructure for a single organization, offering the highest level of physical security and full control over hardware. This model allows the company to purchase, own, and manage its own data center, ensuring compliance with stringent security requirements and complete hardware isolation.

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Public cloud

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Hybrid cloud

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Community cloud

Question 5

A company runs a virtual machine in Azure that hosts a web application. The company is responsible for configuring the operating system, installing web server software, and managing application updates. The cloud provider is responsible for the physical hardware, networking, and data center security. Which cloud service model does this represent?

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This scenario describes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) because the customer manages the operating system, web server software, and application updates, while the cloud provider handles the physical hardware, networking, and data center security. In IaaS, the provider offers virtualized computing resources over the internet, and the customer retains control over the guest OS and installed software, which matches the responsibilities outlined.

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Software as a Service (SaaS)

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Platform as a Service (PaaS)

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Function as a Service (FaaS)

Question 6

A company uses a cloud service that provides virtual machines. The company manages the operating system, middleware, and applications, while the cloud provider manages the physical hardware, networking, and data center security. Which cloud service model does this represent?

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This scenario describes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) because the customer manages the operating system, middleware, and applications, while the cloud provider is responsible for the physical hardware, networking, and data center security. In IaaS, the provider delivers virtualized computing resources over the internet, and the customer retains control over the guest OS, storage, and deployed applications, which matches the division of responsibilities given.

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Platform as a Service (PaaS)

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Software as a Service (SaaS)

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Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 7

A company wants to run a critical application that requires dedicated hardware to comply with regulatory isolation requirements. However, they want to avoid the upfront cost of building their own data center. Which cloud deployment model meets these needs?

Accepted Answer

Private cloud. A private cloud is the correct deployment model because it provides dedicated hardware and infrastructure for a single organization, ensuring regulatory isolation without requiring the company to build and maintain its own on-premises data center. In Azure, a private cloud can be implemented via Azure Stack Hub or Azure VMware Solution, which run in the customer's own environment or a dedicated hosted environment, meeting compliance needs while avoiding upfront capital expenditure.

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Public cloud

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Hybrid cloud

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Community cloud

Question 8

A company wants to provide its employees with access to email, calendar, and document editing tools through a web browser without installing any software. The provider manages all maintenance, updates, and security of the applications. Which cloud service model best describes this scenario?

Accepted Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS). This scenario describes Software as a Service (SaaS) because the provider delivers fully functional applications—such as email, calendar, and document editing—over the web, with no local installation required. The provider handles all maintenance, updates, and security, which is the defining characteristic of SaaS. Examples include Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Outlook, Word Online) and Google Workspace.

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Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

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Platform as a Service (PaaS)

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Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 9

A hospital must store patient medical records on-premises to comply with strict data sovereignty regulations. However, they also want to use advanced analytics tools hosted on a public cloud platform. Which cloud deployment model best meets their needs?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid cloud. (Hybrid cloud) is correct because it allows the hospital to keep sensitive patient medical records on-premises to satisfy strict data sovereignty regulations, while leveraging public cloud services for advanced analytics. This model combines private and public cloud resources, enabling data to remain compliant without sacrificing access to cloud-hosted analytics tools.

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Private cloud

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Public cloud

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Community cloud

Question 10

In a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, which of the following responsibilities is typically handled by the cloud provider?

Accepted Answer

Patching the underlying operating system and application. In a SaaS model, the cloud provider is responsible for managing the underlying infrastructure, including patching the operating system and the application itself. This is a core tenet of the shared responsibility model, where the provider handles the security and maintenance of the software stack, while the customer is responsible for data and user access. For example, in Microsoft 365, Microsoft automatically applies security updates to Exchange Online and SharePoint without customer intervention.

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Managing user passwords and accounts

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Configuring application settings for the organization

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Backing up customer data

Question 11

A company uses a cloud service where they can provision virtual machines, install any operating system, and manage all software on those machines. The cloud provider is responsible for the physical hardware, data center security, and network infrastructure. Which cloud service model does this represent?

Accepted Answer

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). This scenario describes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) because the customer has full control over virtual machines, including the operating system and all installed software, while the cloud provider manages the underlying physical hardware, data center security, and network infrastructure. In IaaS, the provider offers virtualized computing resources over the internet, and the customer is responsible for everything above the hypervisor layer, such as OS patches, application configuration, and middleware.

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PaaS (Platform as a Service)

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SaaS (Software as a Service)

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FaaS (Function as a Service)

Question 12

A company wants to move its IT infrastructure to the cloud but must keep all customer data within a specific geographic region due to data residency laws. They also want to avoid paying for large upfront hardware costs. Which cloud characteristic best supports this need?

Accepted Answer

Geographic distribution (regional data centers). Geographic distribution refers to cloud providers operating multiple data centers across different regions, enabling customers to choose a specific region to store data and comply with data residency laws. This characteristic directly addresses the requirement to keep customer data within a specific geographic region while avoiding upfront hardware costs, as the cloud provider owns and manages the infrastructure.

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Elasticity

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High availability

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Self-service

Question 13

A company subscribes to a cloud service where they can provision virtual machines, choose the operating system, install any software, and manage all applications. The cloud provider is responsible for the underlying physical hardware and network infrastructure. Which cloud service model is being used?

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This scenario describes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) because the customer provisions virtual machines, chooses the operating system, installs software, and manages applications, while the cloud provider is responsible for the underlying physical hardware and network infrastructure. In IaaS, the provider delivers virtualized computing resources over the internet, and the customer retains control over the OS, storage, and deployed applications, which matches the description exactly.

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Platform as a Service (PaaS)

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Software as a Service (SaaS)

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On-premises

Question 14

A company wants to deploy a cloud solution where they have the maximum control over the operating system, installed software, and security configurations, but they do not want to manage physical servers or data center facilities. Which cloud service model best meets this requirement?

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, giving the customer full administrative control over the operating system, installed software, and security configurations (e.g., firewall rules, patch management) while the cloud provider manages the physical servers, storage, and networking hardware. This model aligns with the requirement for maximum control without managing physical infrastructure.

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Platform as a Service (PaaS)

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Software as a Service (SaaS)

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Hybrid cloud

Question 15

A company needs to ensure that their cloud data and applications remain available even if an entire Azure region experiences an outage. They also want to minimize latency by hosting resources in multiple geographic locations. Which cloud concept addresses these requirements?

Accepted Answer

Geo-redundancy. Geo-redundancy (Option B) is correct because it specifically addresses the requirement for data and application availability during an entire Azure region outage by replicating resources across multiple geographically separated regions, such as Azure paired regions (e.g., East US and West US). This also minimizes latency by allowing traffic to be routed to the nearest available region, leveraging Azure Traffic Manager or Azure Front Door for global load balancing.

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Scalability

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Measured service

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Resource pooling